Q07817

Bcl-xL is a member of the Bcl-2 family, Bcl-xL plays a crucial role in regulating apoptosis, which is essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis and preventing excessive cell death. By inhibiting apoptotic pathways, Bcl-xL contributes to cell survival in response to various stressors, making Bcl-xL particularly important in the context of cancer, where overexpression can lead to tumorigenesis and resistance to therapy. Bcl-xL is expressed as a 233 amino acid protein that shares 43% sequence identity with Bcl-2, and functions by forming heterodimers with pro-apoptotic proteins such as Bax and Bad, thereby modulating their activity and influencing the apoptotic process.